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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Forgotten

This is one of those slow weeks. Finals. So, I was surprised to actually get called.

The teacher teaches chemistry and physics (hip, hip, hooray!). Fourth period was a chemistry class, but due to various scheduling conflicts, the class had one lone physics student.

I gave the rest of the class the chemistry final. I gave the physics student the physics final. Then it was just a matter of monitoring and waiting.

I had been instructed to keep track of the tests. They were numbered. As tests were turned in, I put them back in proper numerical order (better me than them). I took an inventory once most of the tests were in, and I found that two tests were missing while two students were still working on the test. Success!

The last two students finished at the same time. At that point, I got ready to release the class from the silence that I insist upon during testing situations. Even though I knew that I had all the tests, I started with the same question in a voice loud enough for the class to hear:

"Does anyone still have a test?"

That's when I saw the physics student. He raised his hand.

Oops.

It took me a minute to get the class back to silence. They had been good up until this point, so it wasn't too much trouble.

Then, after a couple minutes of the class back in silence, one student looked over at me. He asked me if I was keeping the class silent because I wanted the peace. I explained to the student that there was still a test out. He didn't see anyone working, so he asked me who still had a test. I indicated the physics student.

"Oh, him. I forgot about him."

"So did I," I admitted.

The physics student only needed a few more minutes to finish up. Then I was able to actually release the class from their enforced silence.

I apologized to the student for forgetting about him. It happens, but I still felt a little stupid.

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About Me

I am a writer, a knitter, and a substitute teacher, not necessarily in that order. TV is my background noise of choice while I work on whatever project comes to hand. I'm currently between novel projects.